APEC 2017: TPP Ministerial Meeting opens in Da Nang

Da Nang (VNA) – Talks on pushing ahead the Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP) deal without the US reached an upbeat point, Minister of
Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said at the TPP Ministerial Meeting which
opened in the central coastal city of Da Nang on November 9.

Negotiators achieved consensus in some controversial issues, enabling the involved
parties to reach the final commitment package, Anh said at the two-day event
which took place on the sidelines of the APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Week.

The trade pact was officially inked on February 4, 2016 among 12 countries,
including the US, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Japan,
Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam. TPP is a new-generation free trade
agreement with high level of commitment covering trade and non-trade issues.

However, after taking the office in January, 2017, US President Donald Trump
decided to withdraw his country from the pact. The remaining TPP countries are
working toward a new deal that can move forward without the US.

After the latest negotiation round in Japan early this month, chief negotiators
of the 11 TPP members expressed their hope to make progress at the APEC 2017 Economic
Leaders’ Week in Da Nang.

Earlier, at a press conference on APEC 2017 Economic Leaders’ Week on November
2, Standing Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said that in the
framework of APEC, cooperation and regional linkage mechanisms, including TPP,
must be characterised by voluntarism, mutual benefit and mutual respect.

Vietnam will join hands with other TPP members to gain the most robust result,
Son highlighted.-VNA